Strengthening the Universal Plus Level supports for pupil resilience and wellbeing in mainstream schools is a key priority within education in the Scottish Borders, in response to nationally increasing need. As part of this, the Educational Psychology Service is pleased to be able to offer training and coaching in the Emotional Literacy Support Assistant training programme for 2 Pupil Support Assistants/Additional Needs Assistants in each SBC High School, and 3 in our largest High Schools, from August 2026.

What is the ELSA programme?

ELSA is an evidence-based initiative developed and supported by Educational Psychologists, who apply their professional knowledge of children’s social and emotional development to areas of need experienced by students. Educational Psychologists deliver training to ELSAs in evidence-based interventions and provide on-going professional supervision to help maintain high quality in the work undertaken by ELSAs, thereby helping to ensure safe practice for ELSAs and pupils.

Candidates put forward for this training must be agreed and supported by the school.

What is an ELSA?

An ELSA is a trained PSA who plans, monitors and delivers short-term, evidence-based interventions that are bespoke and focused on individual pupil needs relating to social, emotional and mental health.  It is an early-intervention approach where ELSAs can help with areas such as self-esteem, emotional literacy, managing strong feelings, social skills, relationships, and loss.  A full time ELSA PSA typically spends about 5 hours a week doing ELSA work.

What training and support will they get?

ELSAs should already have appropriate ‘soft skills’ in relation to being approachable, able to build relationships with children and young people, and being creative in planning sessions to meet individual needs.

The training will consist of 6 in person full days across the academic year. ELSAs will need to attend every session from 9:30am – 3:30pm.  LOCATION TBC: (central e.g. HQ)

• Day 1 – Tuesday 18^th August 2026 (In-service)
• Day 2 – Monday 19^th October 2026 (In-service)
• Day 3 – Tuesday 24^th November 2026
• Day 4 – Monday 15^th February 2027 (In-service)
• Day 5 – Tuesday 4^th May 2027 (In-service)
• Day 6 – Monday 7^th June 2027

 

Following the 6 days of training, ELSAs will receive 6 x 2 hr supervision sessions each year. This will be one session per half term. ELSAs will also need to participate in an SBC evaluation of the programme.

Training content is likely to include the following areas:

• Facilitation skills for active listening and reflective conversations
• Emotional Awareness and Emotional Regulation
• Self-Esteem
• Social and Friendship Skills
• Planning and Delivering Intervention Sessions
• Setting SMART Targets and Evaluating Sessions

A line manager (e.g., senior manager) should be designated to support ELSAs in the setting, ensuring a manageable workload and helping other staff to understand the parameters of the role, including realistic expectations regarding outcomes for children and young people.  They will also support the referral process to the ELSAs and practicalities of arranging appointments.  We would expect ELSAs to be given ring fenced time to start practising learnt skills with a young person from training Day 4 onwards.

 

School Name:	PSA Name:	Email:	Confirmation can attend all days*
PSA Line Manager
PSA 1
PSA 2
PSA 3 (Peebles High School and Galashiels Academy only)

*PSA Line Manager only required to attend the afternoon of Day 3

 

Please return by 1st June 2026 to Michelle Bradley (Michelle.Bradley@scotborders.gov.uk)

 

Equity

The second online information session regarding the national Equity: Mitigating the impact of poverty on Scotland’s children and young people professional learning programme, will be taking place on Monday 1st June. This session is for school leaders, ELC or CLD managers or LA leads.

 

Further information/sign-up link included in the flyer attached.  National Comms will follow after the pre-election period.

 

Attendance – 19^th May – A new report ‘Improving Attendance in Scotland: 2024-2026: Evidence, Impact and Actions for Consideration’ will publish on 18th March 2026. This session will share the key messages, what attendance data over the last two year tells us and practice which is having a positive impact to improve attendance.

 

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/improving-attendance-in-scotland-tickets-1988484537781?aff=oddtdtcreator

 

10^th June

This session builds on the previous webinar on 19th May which provided an overview of the key messages from the Education Scotland report ‘Improving Attendance in Scotland: 2024-2026 – Evidence, Impact and Actions for Consideration’. This session will further explore the key findings from the report through sharing effective practice from schools. Examples will be shared from a primary and a secondary school.

 

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/improving-attendance-in-scotland-2024-2026-effective-practice-in-schools-tickets-1988486756417?aff=oddtdtcreator

 

P1 Play Pedagogy

The events team has brought to our attention that some local authorities have not been receiving the registration information for the leading play pedagogy in primary one resource. We have had lots of emails from people who did not receive the first or second email attempt to pass it on.

We have now put everything in to a padlet and this has been sent out and we think that most LAs are receiving this now.

 

I thought I would send on to you all so you have it as a simple padlet link. We have also extended the sign up to the 13^th May as a result of the email problems.

 

There are currently over 100 schools signed up so far which is fantastic but I think there will be others who just may not have the information they need to do so due to their LA email blocks.

 

Play Pedagogy in P1 – Information Session Padlet

 

PIRLS 2026

Dear Colleagues,

 

I am writing to let you know of a new Education Scotland web page developed to support those primary schools participating in the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2026.

 

The web page brings together key information and guidance to help the sample of schools involved prepare for the study, which is due to take place between 6 May and 19 June.

 

The resource includes:

• A class lesson aimed at introducing the purpose of PIRLS to P5 learners.
• Practical guidance and information for schools, learners and their parents/carers.
• Exemplar video demonstrations of reading passages and assessment questions from the IEA.
• Information on the four questionnaires designed to gather insights into reading in Scotland.
• Support and information from Pearson UK, the National Research Centre charged by the Scottish Government to deliver the assessment.
• Short information films for learners, parents/carers and schools.

 

The web page can be accessed here: https://education.gov.scot/resources/progress-in-international-reading-literacy-study-pirls-2026/

This information session, to be held online on Monday 1^st June 2026 at 4.00 to 5.00pm, will provide information to potential facilitators about the new national professional learning programme: ‘Equity: Mitigating the impact of poverty on Scotland’s children and young people’.

The programme has been developed by Education Scotland and The City of Edinburgh Council, along with a range of other key partners, including four pilot local authorities.

Potential facilitators are school leaders, ELC or CLD managers or Local Authority leads. All the resources required to lead the programme will be provided by Education Scotland, including online resources for participants and facilitator slides and notes. The programme uses a flexible, hybrid model, with both individual and group learning elements, where the group learning can be online or in person. It can be delivered at establishment, team, cluster, or local authority level.

Register for this information session if you would like to find out more about delivering the programme with your team, cluster or local authority (or wish to share or delegate this task). The programme is suitable for delivery with ELC and CLD participants, as well as those working in schools. Please note this session repeats the one held on 18/3/26.

The learning outcomes of the programme are:

• To know and understand the theory, data and evidence base around poverty both locally and across Scotland
• To know and understand the impact of poverty on learning, achievement and attainment both locally and nationally
• To reflect on and critically examine personal leadership attitudes, values and beliefs within a social justice and equity context
• To know and understand the practice and approaches that can improve outcomes for children and young people impacted by poverty
• To develop and apply knowledge and skills to effectively plan for equity and ensure measurable impact.

4 of our young leader volunteers are hosting two webinars targeting education staff in schools.

 

Thursday 28^th May (Primary education): https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/supporting-young-people-with-type-1-diabetes-in-schools-primary-education-tickets-1984381671999?aff=oddtdtcreator

 

Thursday 5^th June (Secondary Education): https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/supporting-young-people-with-type-1-diabetes-in-schools-secondary-tickets-1984384651912?aff=oddtdtcreator

 

Feel free to register yourself as a healthcare professional or if you can please send this onto any local schools or education staff you work with, that would be appreciated!

 

It will be recorded on the night, so if you’re interested in the webinar but can’t attend, please register anyways and you’ll be sent a link to the recording afterwards.

 

If you would like to stop receiving emails from me about Together Type 1 updates and opportunities, please let me know.

 

 

Róisín O’Donovan

Youth Coordinator Together Type 1 (TT1) Scotland Team

07469154828

Boardmaker

This course will guide you through how to create symbol supported resources using Boardmaker software.

Aims:

• Staff will be able to use Boardmaker to create basic symbolised resources.
• Staff will be able to use templates within Boardmaker.
• Staff will be able to use Boardmaker Online to search for pre-made resources.
• Staff will be able to edit pre-made resources.

12 May, 3:45pm to 4:45pm – bookings can be made through Business World

 

Sounding Board App

This training will cover how to use the Sounding Board app to support pupils with communication and choice making.

Aims:

Staff will understand the purpose of the app and how it can support communication.
Staff will be able to create a basic board.
Staff will be able to save and share boards with other staff/pupils.
Staff will be able to access some shared pre-made boards.

13 May, 3:45pm to 4:30pm – bookings can be made through Business World

 

During May and June 2026 the Insight Advisors will deliver Cohort 3 of “Developing your use of Insight”, a series of webinars designed to upskill participants in the use of Insight.

 

The content of the course is targeted at senior school leadership and those with a whole school raising attainment role.  Local Authority attainment leads are also very welcome to attend. Over 450 school leaders signed up for Cohort 1 (delivered following the February 2025 Update) and over 150 participated in Cohort 2 (following the September 2025 Update) with very positive feedback.

 

Participants can book onto the webinars through the Insight Padlet.

Click on the image below to access the full newsletter:

This live session will take place on Thursday 30 April, 4.30-5.30pm. This free session, available to all educators across our member local authorities provides an overview of how partnership working can support schools to strengthen parental engagement – so please share across your networks.

We recommend signing up for the session, even if you can’t attend, as all registrants will receive the presentation slides and recording afterwards.

Please note: Sessions will be held via Zoom which does not require any log in and can be viewed on a device of your choice. Registration through Eventbrite does not require to be completed with a local authority email address and email details are only used to send communication linked to this session.

Booking is essential!

I’ve also included a link to our Professional Learning survey Connect Professional Learning Feedback Survey 2026 – Fill in form

We rely on feedback from our members to support continuous improvement and ensure we are meeting your needs, so we would really appreciate you taking a few minutes to complete it.

For those who have not yet signed up to MyConnect Professional Learning, you can do so here:

MyConnect Registration Request

https://connectscot.tfaforms.net/f/myconnect

Educators: Professional Learning Hub

Connect Members: Parental Engagement: Evaluate practice and build workforce capacity 30 April 2026, 4.30-5.30pm Online via Zoom. Places are free, booking is required Book here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1985813520697?aff=oddtdtcreator

A practical professional learning session focused on strengthening parental engagement through collaborative evaluation.   Session overview Live Professional Learning Session (presented and facilitated) This professional learning session explores how schools can work collaboratively with parents, families and the Parent Council to evaluate and strengthen workforce values and skills in parental engagement. Grounded in national guidance, the session supports educators to take a reflective, partnership-based approach to improvement.   Participants will consider how meaningful co-evaluation can enhance relationships, build staff confidence and professional development, and support ongoing school improvement.   Who is this session for? Head Teachers, Depute Head Teachers, and Senior Leaders in Scottish Schools   Key Themes: Workforce values and skills in parental engagement Collaborative co-evaluation with families and/or the Parent Council Professional reflection and capacity building Use of evidence to inform improvement (parental engagement) Alignment with national frameworks

Please note: Sessions will be held via Zoom which does not require any log in and can be viewed on a device of your choice. Registration through Eventbrite does not require to be completed with a local authority email address and email details are only used to send communication linked to this session.

Imagine a Man is a research and evidence-based development initiative designed to help boys and young men to develop a healthy and positive version of masculinity that aligns to gender equality.

Aim – To enable school staff to deliver Imagine a Man / The Lassie’s are no Feart

Target Audience – School teachers / Pupil Support Assistants / Home School Link Workers / School Liaison Officers / Youth Workers

We have 2 sessions scheduled for the summer term and they are:

11 May – 1-4pm in the Roxburgh Suite, Council HQ

OR

1 June – 9:30 – 12:30 in the Business Suite, Council HQ

 

Bookings can be made via Business World.